Apollo Tyres expanding Chennai TBR capacity over next 12 months

A report published by The Financial Express yesterday claims Apollo Tyres will implement the previously announced production capacity expansion at its factory in Chennai over the coming year. According to Satish Sharma, president of the tyre maker’s Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa business, the planned boost in the plant’s truck and bus radial capacity from 6,000 to 9,000 tyres per day will cost Apollo Rs 15 billion (£155.6 million). Passenger car tyre capacity in Chennai will remain at current levels for the time being.

“On an average, the company exports 100,000 car tyres and 15,000 truck/bus tyres a month,” Sharma told The Financial Express. “We are constrained by our existing capacity to exports more. That is the reason we are investing in the Chennai plant. While truck/bus radials capacity utilisation crossed 100 per cent, the passenger car radial tyres capacity utilisation is pegged at 80 per cent. Both Baroda and Chennai plants have a total car tyre capacity of 32,000 units a day and there is no plan for car tyres expansion as of now.”